Modern communication systems require components, such as a local oscillator (LO) amplifier, which operate in the radio frequency (RF) spectrum and drive other components, e.g., mixers, modulators, and demodulators. However, the compression point of a passive FET mixer is directly related to the amplitude of the local oscillator. The ability of the local oscillator to generate a high, limited voltage output over a wide band of RF frequencies is usually limited by the breakdown voltages of the devices used in the implementation of the local oscillator. Moreover, the generation of such high voltage LO outputs may result in degraded risetime of the output waveform.
There is, accordingly, a need for an amplifying method or apparatus that produces an output waveform with high voltages, e.g., on the order of twice, thrice, or any integral multiple of the breakdown voltage of the component devices, without degrading the risetime of the output waveform.